Surprising Uses For Vodka That Can Save Someone A Pretty Penny Or Two

Whether you drink it neat or mixed in a cocktail, Vodka can take the edge off a rough day and set you at ease when you’re feeling stressed. But no matter how you drink yours, most people would agree that drinking vodka is its only purpose.

Yet even the most avid vodka drinkers don’t often realize there are so many more uses for vodka! So sit down and pour a shot, but don’t drink it quite yet. When you see what that bottle of vodka in your cupboard can do, you might never drink it again…

2. Clothes and Shoe Deodorizer: Speaking of clean, a splash of vodka on a musty T-shirt or in your sweaty shoes can kill that odorous bacterium making ’em stink. And if you deodorize your flip flops, you can funnel the vodka straight into your mouth.

3. Removes Sticker Glue: Vodka cuts right through the glue-residue left behind by labels and bumper stickers, so now no one has to know about your passion for stickers unless you want them to!

Richard Masoner / Flickr

4. Dandruff Remover: As one hairstylist put it, vodka “has the ability to seal the hair cuticle which will manage and reduce the appearance of frizz.” It relieves itchy scalps and cuts down on dandruff, too!

5. Remove Stains from Upholstery: When you spilled that handle of vodka on the couch last night, you weren’t being a sloppy drunk, right? No, you just knew a vodka scrub can eliminate ink, grass, and food stains.

7. Mold and Mildew Cleaner: After an all-night bender, you might spend time wrapped around your toilet. You also might notice all the mold and mildew gathered there. Blast it with cheap vodka — it has antimicrobial properties.

8. Weed Killer: You can put your kids to work in the backyard pulling weeds and listen to them complain all day, or you can mix an ounce of vodka, two cups of water, and a drop of dish soap to fashion a homemade weed killer. Your choice.

9. Flower Reviver: Maybe you’ve taken a shot of vodka after a long night to keep your mind fresh — a little hair of the dog, ya know? But apparently, a splash of vodka mixed with water can help keep your flowers fresh, too (just don’t over do it).

10. Erase Window Streaks: Dirty windows are like excuses. Everyone’s got ’em, and they all stink. But you won’t have dirty windows if you spray yours with vodka. Just a spritz will cut through all kinds of window grease.

11. Shine Chrome: Sink faucets and car hubs can sparkle like new if you douse ’em with a little bit of vodka. Unfortunately, this won’t make your chrome-dome shine. Sorry bald guys.

12. Remove Rust from Screws: Before you take a sip of that vodka, drop a rusty screw in there to completely blast away the rust. Then, maybe don’t drink the vodka afterward (side note: a rusty screw sounds like the name of a cocktail).

13. Soothes a Toothache: Finally! One of these uses for vodka lets you actually take a swig! If you’ve got a toothache, toss back a mouthful and swish it around the painful area to numb it.

14. Eases Aches and Pains: In fact, adding fresh lavender to a glass jar filled with vodka creates another painkilling method. Let it sit in the sun for three days (INFUSE IT WITH THE POWER OF THE SUN) and then rub the tincture on aches and pains.

15. Cures Poison Ivy: A brush with poison ivy can leave you itching for days, but pouring vodka on the rash will wash away the cause of the irritation — urushiol oil. This is not an excuse to put poison ivy in your mouth.

16. Helps Jellyfish Stings: Speaking of pouring vodka on body parts, the man always tells you to pee on any fresh jellyfish stings, but please, keep your personal fluids out of this. A shot of vodka on the sting will mitigate the pain just fine.

17. Cure Swimmer’s Ear: Once you’ve reached dry land — and if you have any vodka to spare after dumping it on your jellyfish stings — drop a bit in your ears to clear any water out.

lumpiarta / Flickr

18. Freshens Breath: Let a stick of cinnamon rest in a bottle of vodka for two weeks, and you’ll end up with a mouthwash that probably tastes okay. A little swish is a perfect way to start the morning.

19. Bakes a Lighter Pie Crust: Water plus flour makes gluten. The toughness of gluten can create a less-than-desirable pie crust texture. Replace a third of the water in any pie crust recipe with vodka to create a tender, flakier bake!

20. All-Purpose Cleaner: Vodka’s filled with alcohol. Go figure. But since alcohol works as a natural disinfectant, that means you can pack it in a spray bottle and use it to clean your countertops. Just keep it away from party-hard cats!

Before you pour that shot of vodka down your gullet pause for one second and think — is there something nearby that needs a good cleaning?